On the Beauty of Calligraphy
This is a noble artistic enjoyment. If you want to appreciate the cursive art, you must first understand the characteristics of the cursive art and where the beauty of the cursive art lies. Some people say that the form of cursive art has two aspects: the beauty of surface appearance and the beauty of deep meaning. Some people regard the beauty of cursive art as ten points: flying strokes, interesting brushwork, changeable structure, vivid composition, beautiful lines, connected veins, natural charm, ups and downs, magnificent and unique. In short, the beauty of cursive art is like a poem without words, a dance without movement, a colorful painting without color, and a musical melody without words.
There are 57 praise cursive scripts in the whole Tang poetry instead of chanting things. In the history of calligraphy in China, there are only "grass saints", but not "seal saints" and "official saints".
In modern calligraphy exhibitions, cursive (or cursive) works often occupy a considerable proportion. These revelations seem to tell us the mature position and incisive artistic expression of cursive script.
The aesthetics of cursive art includes appreciation and analysis, which are both different and related. The difference is that appreciation focuses on intuitive feelings, while rational analysis is used to analyze the process; However, appreciation always needs analysis, and appreciation is included in the analysis. "Reading is like visiting to win", the fun of cursive art may not be clear at a glance, and those who venture deep into the depths will see wonders.
The magnificence of cursive art lies not in its appearance but in its spirit, and we need to know it before we can enter the wonderful realm. Generally speaking, the process of appreciating a cursive (running script) artwork is as follows: first, "macro", we appreciate the overall momentum of the whole picture and the overall impression; Then "from the middle", look closely at the structural beauty and chapter beauty of the whole picture; Finally, "micro", taste the beauty of pen, stippling, brushwork and artistic conception. From far to near, from fast to slow, the three complement each other, inappropriate and not lacking.
(B) cursive appreciation standards
There is no fixed standard for appreciating cursive (running script) works of art.
For the same cursive art work, different people will have different standards because of different times, different concepts, different lives, different qualities, different experiences and different understandings; The standard of the same person can also be different because of the differences in early age, middle age and old age. Nevertheless, through long-term practice, predecessors have summed up the standards for appreciating calligraphy. Some people sum it up as four: charm, material selection, ink color and back decoration. Some people also classify it into six items: body, courage, attitude, genre, talent and meteorology.
I think the following five aspects can be used as the appreciation standard of cursive (running script) art:
1. Line beauty
Calligraphy is the art of lines. Calligraphy lines, especially cursive lines, are more obvious. Not only the shape and direction are different, but also the astringency, dryness, flatness, quality and strength are different. The strange and unpredictable lines of cursive art can best express the subtle inner feelings of a cursive writer. So, what kind of lines are bright and pleasant, giving people a sense of beauty?
Force sense of lines
All aesthetic lines are powerful and three-dimensional lines. Sense of power is also called "pen power" in traditional calligraphy.
Ancient and modern cursive learners repeatedly emphasize the correct "brushwork", in the final analysis, in order to make the calligraphy lines show rigidity and flexibility (internal strength performance). The lines of calligraphy should be like "clockwork in a clock", not like "boiled noodles in a soup pot". This metaphor tells us that calligraphy is "the art of strength"; The power of lines is the life of cursive art.
In Song Dynasty, Mi Fei once said: "Getting a pen (referring to the effect of using a pen in the center) is as thin as a moustache and round (referring to the sense of three-dimensional sense and force); I can't write, just as thick and flat as a rafter. " It can be seen that the beauty of lines lies not in the thickness, but in the "circle". "Round" is "thick but not heavy, thin but not light", which is strong and powerful; "Dull" is dull and stagnant, giving people no aesthetic feeling.
The emotion of lines
"Books, express delivery also". The dots, pens and lines in China's calligraphy are full of vitality, sense of rhythm and sense of rhythm, which shows the expressive beauty of people. The so-called beauty of expression is the visual aesthetic experience of calligraphers and appreciators. A successful cursive work is the author's concentration, emotional accumulation and emotional expression. "Taking emotion as the person and taking emotion as the book" is an important factor that can not be ignored in the success of calligraphy.
For example, Chen Duo, a poet in the Song Dynasty, made a detailed analysis of the emotional changes in the writing process of Tang Yan Zhenqing's "Ji Ming's Sacrifice to a Nephew", and thought that the first twelve lines were "extremely graceful", the last six lines were "extremely depressed and angry, and the last five lines were" completely innocent ",which was shocking and unspeakable. "The change of mood leads to the ups and downs of writing rhythm, and calligraphers reveal their true feelings incisively and vividly through pen and ink calligraphy.
Rhythm of lines
"Between a painting, Feng Yu's changes are ups and downs; In a little time, this is very frustrating. " If the cursive script is uniform in thickness and rhythmic in lines, it can't give people aesthetic feeling. The so-called cadence, lifting and pressing, is all paper and clouds. Although it is silent, it has a musical melody, which is precisely one of the important reasons why cursive art is loved by people. Calligraphers in past dynasties paid special attention to the primary and secondary contrast of lines, and often took the strokes that best expressed the calligrapher's personality as the "main pen" to show their unique aesthetic feeling. For example, Yan Zhenqing is full of needles, the Yellow Valley is full of twists and turns, and the vertical hooks in Mi Fei are unique. In addition, there are many contrast techniques, such as size, vertical and horizontal, back to back, tilt, density, thickness, shadow and Fiona Fang.
Please look at the rhythm of the three lines of "(Cloud) sitting at the snake, storm and whirlwind full of people (Lu Yuan)" in the autobiography of Tang Huaisu: the number of "(Cloud) rushing at the snake" in the first line is almost written in one stroke. The eyes of the viewer follow the heart, and he feels that his heart is jumping forward and his passion is unrestrained. The word "potential" in the second line is independent and to the left, and the word "force" in the second half of the sentence converges slightly, as if it were ready to go. The word "Ru" is vigorous and elastic, which suddenly holds up the meaning of the pen. The words "potential" and "advance" are relatively stable from top to bottom; The rhythm of this line is slightly slower, which is in contrast to the previous line "running snakes and walking". In the third line, the word "Man Feng (Luyuan)" turns sharply and is made in one stroke ... These three lines of cursive script are connected end to end, touching people's hearts and thought-provoking.
Echo of lines
"Starting writing is an appeal, and accepting writing is a response". The function of echo is to connect the original independent lines into an organic whole. The lines echo, just like the air is flowing, just like being given life. Traditional calligraphy is called "painting qi" and "blood", and it is suggested that "it is better to echo from beginning to end and connect up and down". For example, Zong Baihua, a modern aesthete, said: "You can look back around, and the yin and yang rise and fall, just like the branches and leaves of a tree, each giving way;" When the running water is mixed, it will come down one after another. " This word is a stream of life, a dance and a piece of music.
2. Beautiful structure
The general understanding of the appreciation of the structure is often whether the structure is neat or not, which is not completely correct. Although balance symmetry is the basic requirement, structural beauty pays more attention to the change of balance symmetry, whether its change is innovative or not. The successful cursive art structure is balanced and symmetrical, and all parts are in contrast and care; There are also various innovations in length, size, width, density and verticality, thus forming a diverse and unified harmony.
The cursive characters are steady, open-minded, vigorous, tall and straight, graceful and graceful, flying and other different forms, winning by "avoiding danger" and seeing strange postures by "advocating". The structural beauty of cursive script is an artistic effect obtained through the proper configuration of basic lines (thick, thin, long, short, prone, upturned, stretched and contracted) and lateral lines (up, down, high, low, wide, narrow, narrow and straight) of strokes. The skill of this collocation is to seek the method of structural beauty.
3. Beautiful composition
Composition is whether the spacing between words and lines is appropriate and the size is appropriate. A well-organized cursive work can show the artistic effect of caring for feelings, flying spirit and running through the whole chapter.
The book reader "sees the chapter and sees the array." The composition is the composition, which is the overall expression of appreciating calligraphy art; The array is white cloth, which is the blank space outside the writing. As far as composition is concerned, one point is the rule of one word, and one word is the final rule. In the whole structure, the duct tape is guided once from beginning to end. Cloth and white is the contrast of calligraphy dust spots, which constitutes an organic part of the whole work. Clever white cloth can make the whole article produce the effect that Youlong is out of water and clouds are floating.
Huai Su should be the first person to consciously use patchwork and conformity. The Tang Priest, who is wild and unruly, disobeys Buddhist rules, and eats with wine and meat, not only innovates in the line structure, but also highlights the exquisite composition of the "sleet" technique.
The "self-report post" has 702 words in 126 lines. From beginning to end, the whole article goes in one go, just like the Yangtze River, running like a thousand miles, which fully shows Huai Su's happy, complacent and excited mentality when writing.
We should pay attention to the following three points when we appreciate the application of rules and regulations in commenting on autobiographical posts: (1) uneven changes. There are different words in each line, and the words are scattered. There are eight words in a line, and there are at least two words (that is, the word "Dai Gong" in line 105). Lines vary in thickness, with frequent white in the middle, and strong sense of flight and elasticity. (2) Tie tape. This kind of wild grass is usually two or three words, or five or six words, or even a whole line in series. The single structure of words is broken, and several words or whole lines are connected to form a new whole. (3) Save the right side. Several lines of common words in the post gradually deviate from the center line in one direction, and then unconsciously start to pull back, so that it can be saved and visitors will not feel abrupt.
4. Mo Yun is very beautiful.
The cursive art mainly uses ink lines to express its beauty. Whether a work looks like it depends on whether the pen and ink are elastic: that is, the whole line and the whole article should not be exactly the same in shade, weight, dryness, brightness, thickness and turbidity.
Ink color should change with the change of pen, which gives the viewer a visual adjustment, makes people feel that pen and ink are endowed with life, full of joy and vitality, and makes the viewer feel carefree and emotional. On the other hand, if a work consists of a lifeless "dead ink", life will cease to exist, and the viewer can only feel depressed, silent and still. The so-called "ink activity" is based on the change of pen, ink is based on pen, and pen is expressed by ink. There must be ink in the pen, and there is no look without ink; There must be a pen in the ink, and there is no bones and muscles without a pen.
In the Ming Dynasty, Dong Qichang's "Trial Ink Post" can be said to be a masterpiece of cursive pen and ink appreciation. The whole post is * * * 46 words, and the author's ink is brilliant, unpredictable and amazing.
"The cleverness of writing lies in using a pen, especially ink". The change of ink color of this post is vivid on paper by virtue of the cadence of line marks; Several words in the work are written in full ink; Such as "Gui", "Yu", "Try" and "Mill"; Moreover, every time you dip it, you must write that the ink is dry and dry, so that you can distinguish the ink marks. The whole ink color changes from thick to light, from moist to dry, and it is clear and natural from beginning to end. From Lu's poems and postscript, we can also see this cycle, intermittent and alternating pen and ink rhythm.
Lin Sanzhi, a contemporary sage of grass, usually dips the long front in thick ink and then a little water: between strokes, the ink is calm and dripping like spring rain; The white place is empty, as if it were cracked in the autumn wind, and its charm is endless! The ups and downs of ink color is a rhythmic art, and a masterpiece with ink is often "divided into five colors", which makes people feel immersive; Will be light and heavy, ups and downs, people have the feeling of hearing voices.
5. Beautiful artistic conception
After appreciating the brush and ink structure, we need to further grasp the unique artistic beauty of the whole work.
The artistic conception beauty of cursive script refers to the artistic realm that works show the author's spirit, aesthetics, style and appeal to the audience.
Generally speaking, it is a sign that calligraphers have reached a high degree of maturity in art that the whole work can form a distinct artistic conception. Take Su Dongpo's Huangzhou Cold Food Poetry as an example. In the end, the calligrapher's writing momentum is getting stronger and stronger with the ups and downs of feelings, and the words are getting bigger and bigger. This book has a strong sense of rhythm and beautiful rhythm.
In the contrast of density, the writer also has a new idea: generally speaking, if there are few strokes, the words should be strong and give people a sense of closeness; If there are many strokes, the words should be slender, giving people a sense of looseness. Su Dongpo didn't care, but he did the opposite. When I wrote the last eight words of "I cried my way out, but I couldn't afford to blow it", the calligrapher's feelings reached a natural and uncontrollable state: the words were heavy and big, forming a restrained and turbulent momentum. At this time, the writer vented his depression and resentment in his heart and paid all with pen and ink.
We say that if a cursive art can be moving and beautiful, it needs the calligrapher to infiltrate the fiery and real emotional activities into the artistic image he created. Su Dongpo's Huangzhou Cold Food Poetry Post is highly praised by later generations because it truly reflects the calligraphy style of that era and the beautiful artistic conception of calligraphers who are interested in writing feelings.
(3) Characters and people, calligraphy and personality
The cursive art can best express "books are like people".
Liu Xizai's "Art Outline" said: "Books are like. If you study, if you are ambitious, you are like a person in short. " "Books are like people" embodies the individual characteristics of calligraphy art creation. Calligraphers' ideological character is reflected in the creative personality of their works, which is often called "calligraphy style". Why do you say "books are like people"? First of all, the formation of cursive style is closely related to the calligrapher's ideological character, because his ideological character plays an important and decisive role in forming his unique aesthetic taste, expression and artistic language. Secondly, the formation of cursive style is closely related to the life experience of calligraphers. Time and time again, as a cursive script that expresses art, the calligrapher's thoughts and feelings are another factor that forms the style of his works. Works can show the accomplishment, talent, character and hobbies of books.
Different feelings lead to different forms and quality of calligraphy: stiff and steady writing is also stiff and lacking in originality; Zong Yi's bold writing is often brave and goes beyond the usual rules; Xie Siming often writes quickly but deeply; Mature and steady, shy in speech, lacking flying; Simple people, writing is stubborn but not provocative; Careful people, handwriting can not escape; Warm and charming; Majesty lacks charm; Liu Li is more flashy; Wanchang often lacks end thickness. Understanding the calligrapher's thoughts and temperament is helpful to appreciate the beauty of personality and personality in a higher level and the beauty of artistic conception in a deeper level. The content of Yan Zhenqing's "Liu Zhongshi's Post" is that the storyteller was very happy to learn of two military victories. The strokes of the whole post are bold and unrestrained, vigorous and powerful, and there is a great potential for dragons and tigers to leap. In the previous paragraph, the last word "Er" monopolized a line, and the last one ran through the whole line with a thirsty pen, which can not help but remind people of Du Fu's famous sentence about recovering Henan and Hebei.
Xian Yushu, a calligrapher in Yuan Dynasty, said, "When you meet someone, you will feel loyal to him." This post is the same as "Sacrificing a Nephew". "The heroic spirit is full, which can be seen in the pen."
Calligraphy is expensive and handed down from person to person. There are many positive examples in history. Wang Xianzhi in the Jin Dynasty was inherited by his father Xi, but refused to build a list of Tai Chi halls for Prime Minister Xie An, which became a much-told story. Yu Shinan, who served in the imperial court in the Tang Dynasty, once advised Emperor Taizong to "don't, don't". Emperor Taizong said that there are five things in danger: "first, virtue, second, loyalty and straightforwardness, third, erudition, fourth, literary style, fifth." Later generations commented that his calligraphy was elegant, elegant and elegant, gentle and good, just like a person. Yue Fei's vigorous cursive "Zhuge Liang's Model" clearly reflects his loyalty to the country, the recovery of mountains and rivers and the sweeping of the army.
Books are more expensive than people, which can also be confirmed by negative examples. Cai Yuan, the four great calligraphers in the Song Dynasty, was Cai Jing.
Cai Jing wrote beautifully, but because he was a big traitor, later generations humiliated him and replaced him with Cai Xiang. At the end of the Ming Dynasty, Zhang Ruitu's cursive script was unique in charm, but it was contemptible and despised by later generations. Wang Jingwei, a close friend, writes beautifully. Sun Yat-sen's will was recorded by Wang, but later when he was refused payment, people looked at his ink in disgust. Calligraphy is closely related to character, which reminds and encourages calligraphers to constantly purify their hearts, sharpen their sentiments and shape themselves into people with noble character.